Quick update on the recent shoulder/neck tumor.  We saw Dr. Amaria, Rusty's primary Melanoma physician, today.  MRI and scans taken yesterday indicate that brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis tumors have greatly improved since last scans in May.  Because of that, and as long as he feels good,  they are going to keep Rusty on the clinical trial protocol and treat this new growth with radiation to shrink it or keep it from growing larger.  They are very optimistic about the decrease in the body tumors, and feel that "palliative" "local" radiation to he shoulder and neck is all that is needed now.

We are very happy with the results.  Will be back up here next week for regular visit.

Thanks to all for support, caring and love!

Regular visit to MDA today for blood tests and immunotherapy infusion.  Melanoma team including doctor sawRusty today to monitor mass in neck/shoulder.  They have rescheduled body scans and MRI to Monday July 31.  According to Dr. Amaria and the team, they can make no plans for dealing with this new tumor untill the scans and MRI are complete.  They hope to have a plan for Rusty after reviewing all the tests.

We seem to have hit on a medication regeime that keeps Rusty more comfortable and in less pain, and the team suggested that we increase the dosage of pain med if needed.

We flew up to Houston this morning and are now in the airport waiting to fly home and Rusty has had his best day in a long time....relatively pain free and sporting some of his old energy and irreverence.  We'll be back up here in 6 days and will update you then.

Thanks for all your messages, calls, prayers and good vibes!

Many thanks to all of you for your supportive, encouraging, loving messages is response to these posts.  We both feel connected, and lifted up.

Today's biopsy was not good news.  The preliminary pathology report on the mass in Rusty's shoulder/neck is that it is a new melanoma.  Of course, the melanoma physician is concerned that the treatment is no longer working.  They are moving up the date for the whole body scans and tests that were due in August...we are waiting for rescheduled dates.  After those tests we will know how they recommend for Rusty to proceed.

We had been planning on spending a week at John and Tracy's in Washington State the last week of July...we will postpone that visit pending treatment plans.

Rusty is having some pain in his neck and shoulder and is looking forward to the stepped up scans so we can have a more complete, accurate picture of the disease situation.  He is adamant that we will do the Kerrville show as planned, so tomorrow morning we leave for Kerrville.  Nurse Ratchet concedes.

Will continue to keep you updated as things unfold.  

New wrinkle this time...after complaining about what he thought was a muscle strain in his shoulder for a few days, we noticed on the evening of July 3 that Rusty had a swollen area on his left shoulder at the base of his neck.  Saw our local doc and he communicated with Melanoma doc in Houston.   She advised that Rusty be seen by her at his regular two week appointment on July 11.

Today was that appointment and the team feels that the swollen lump is either a new melanoma or an inflammatory response to the medications Rusty is on.  A biopsy will be definitive and Rusty is scheduled for the ultrasound biopsy on Thursday, July 13. It should take 2 or 3 days for results.  Rusty has been having increasing discomfort  and dull pain at the site and they prescribed a pain med.  Today he had his immunotherapy infusion as usual.

We have been advised to just go home after the biopsy on Thursday rather than wait here for the results of the biopsy.  We had tentatively planned on doing a two day show at a Summer Market in Kerrville in the Hill Country.  Rusty still wants to do that...to leave here Thursday afternoon and go directly to Kerrville.  We packed for such an eventuality, but we'll see how Rusty's feeling.  Nurse Ratchet (me) gets the final say....sometimes...

Photos are back at the camper after a long day.

White knuckle drive to Houston yesterday...thunderstorms and teeming rain for much of the trip.  Abbreviated MDAnderson visit today since Rusty will only see the Melanoma team every other visit now.  We come up every two weeks and team visits are now once a month.  He had blood tests and his immunotherapy infusion today.  All went well and he is feeling good.  His energy is almost back to normal and his spirits are high.  As you would expect, he is pretty glib with irreverent joking about  having cancer, just as Joe was with his ALS.

We braved the storms this afternoon to venture out in the truck to find a knitting/yarn shop and to visit the Houston Natural Science Museum.  We found the knitting shop but skipped the trip to museum because of the approach of violent weather.  Storms came through after we got back to the RV park.

Tomorrow we depart Houston headed for our July 1 Wimberley Market gig with a two day stopover in Blanco State Park.  Due back at MDAnderson on July 11.

Trip up to Houston Monday was complicated by needing to make vet arrangements for our sick dog, Buttercup and learning that the repairs on our Puma were not complete and we would not be able to pick it up for the trip.  (You may recall that when the tire came apart a few weeks ago, the steel belts in the tire basically beat a hole in the floor of the camper.)  so, for this trip we are back to the little Casita.

The June 13 visit to MDAnderson was pretty routine...lab work, EKG, visit with Melanoma team and infusion.  Dr. Amaria is pleased that Rusty seems to have recovered fully from the pharyngitis episode and that his blood work is stable.  She chided him about his age when he complained of less energy and of some memory loss.

Before the immunotherapy infusion we ate our picnic lunch in one of the beautiful outdoor patio areas in the MDA complex.

Back at the RV Park via shuttle about 4 PM...just enough time for a quick swim before leaving for D'Amico's Italian Market and Cafe to celebrate my (Grace's) birthday.

We return to MDAnderson in two weeks.
Thank you so much for your interest, prayers and encouragement!

A week before our May 30 visit to MDAnderson, Rusty was diagnosed by our local ER with pharyngitis...a very sore throat, fever, cough and generally feeling awful.  Our family doc, Dr. Boynton, communicated with the Melanoma team at MDAnderson and they directed that he discontinue the oral chemo drugs until the episode resolved.  They felt that the symptoms could have been caused by the oral drugs.  Rusty was put on antibiotics and by the end of the week was doing better, other than feeling stressed and worried about being off the oral Melanoma drugs.

At our May 30 visit to MDAnderson, he was well enough that the drugs were restarted.  He had lab work, a visit with his melanoma team and his regular immunotherapy infusion.  He is feeling much better.

While in Houston, we are trying to learn the public transit system...parking is very expensive.  We take a shuttle from the RV resort to and from MDAnderson, but for all other travel we are learning how to become bus riders!

Since we are due in Wimberley in June 2, rather than return to Corpus then travel to Wimberley, we spent two days at Bastrop State Park in central Texas before heading over to Wimberley.  On the way, we stopped at the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, Texas for a little tour and tasting!

Today is the June 3 Market in Wimberley, then we head home to Corpus on Sunday, June 4.  We return to MDAnderson on June 13.